December Vision: Christmas Poems 1991-2009 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781724992369)

The spiritual journey of Larry Morris (1939-2015) is known to many through his great talent for storytelling. His Sunday talks were often highlighted with comedic anecdotes of personal, but very human, shortcomings in pursuit of the spiritual life. It took time and much experience to find his unique way of expressing his path. That path began with his childhood years traveling by train from the various places his parents lived (California, Texas, New Mexico) to visit his Orthodox Jewish grandparents in Chicago, his earliest home. At 18 it led him to the Air Force and Korea, where he was first exposed to Eastern culture. His path returned him to New Mexico to attend the University of New Mexico, where he eventually earned a PhD in English in the area of spiritual literature. During the years at UNM, he had spiritual experiences, began meditating, traveled and studied in India, spent time writing a novel in Mexico, was a Wurlitzer Foundation artist-in-residence in Taos, moved to San Francisco, returned again to school, and wrote for a local spiritual magazine, interviewing and hosting many traveling spiritual teachers and speakers who lectured in Albuquerque. He taught meditation and other spiritual classes in the community, and was ordained through Brooks Divinity School. When he completed his PhD, he spent 3 years as a professor at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he again hosted various spiritual and cultural events, and taught meditation. Morris returned to Albuquerque to become Senior Minister of Hillside Community Church, integrating Eastern and Western spiritual traditions in an atmosphere of freedom and joy. He developed a radio platform, "The Positive Thought for the Day," that gained statewide recognition. Along with his humor, he expressed his spiritual journey through poetry, drawing influence from many sources, from the Beats to Chinese "rivers and mountains" poetry. His encounter with U.G. Krishnamurti began a 21-year spiritual relationship, which inspired a new level of creativity and expression. Larry declared it: "The end of seeking." You can find other writings by Larry Morris at www.hillsidesource.com.